In the last week I’ve come across two people I used to be very close with but haven’t seen or spoken with in over a decade. Both instances were strange, one breathtakingly so.
About this time last week I googled some names in this category, people with whom I’ve had no contact in quite some time. One, who was my best friend from high school until my relocation to the Bay Area, was mentioned in a news article for doing something very distasteful; no need to go into details but adding to the strangeness was that another acquaintance (albeit someone I was never particularly friendly with) was leading the effort that swept my former pal up.
If you think I’m being purposely obtuse you’re spot on. The activity involved blew my mind; this is someone I spent time with in person or on the phone nearly every day for the 17 years of our friendship and even now thinking back on those days not one instance comes to mind that could be construed as a hint or clue. Nothing even remotely close.
The other incident was much less dark. After getting lost, something that happens to me constantly in Cupertino for some reason, I was late for a doctor’s appointment and had to kill two hours waiting for an open slot. Think about how many times you’ve sat waiting for a doctor running late and you’ll understand I was a bit peeved since there was at least 10 minutes until the next appointment.
Anyway, I went around the corner to kill the time at a Starbucks. Reading Iain M. Banks’ short story collection The State of the Art was enjoyable but I’m an inveterate people watcher and popped my head up each time the door opened. After more than an hour even Banks had a tough time keeping my attention and then a woman came in the door that had me looking not twice but three times.
While there are plenty of very attractive women in the area and not a few at this coffee shop but I kept my head up until this one came into view again not because she was particularly attractive (not that she isn’t, but it isn’t relevant here) but because she’s my ex-wife. Who I’ve not seen since early 1997 despite our working in the same industry and living in the same general area. Heck, she worked at Sun before me and our tenures overlapped a couple of months but we never were in so much as the same meeting.
I’m not 100% sure about either incident but if a money bet was involved I’d wager both were who they appeared to be to me.
BillSaysThis 